The 2010 Saint Louis Athletica season was the second and final season for the team, both in Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) and as an organization. On May 27, 2010, WPS announced that Athletica would fold effective immediately, forcing the league to finish the 2010 season with seven teams.[1]
| 2010 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Stadium | Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park | ||
| WPS | Dissolved | ||
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Background edit
During their inaugural season in 2009, Athletica finished the regular season in second place and third in the playoffs.
Offseason edit
In the first WPS expansion draft, Athletica lost two players to the Atlanta Beat.[2] Atlanta used their second pick (fourth overall) on Athletica forward Amanda Cinalli, and their fifth pick (tenth overall) on defender Sara Larsson, who was the only international player to be taken by either team in the draft.
On September 30, when the WPS free agency period began,[3] all teams announced which players they waived or let become free agents, with Athletica waiving/freeing ten players, while resigning or extending contracts for five other players, after exercising options for another four players two days earlier. Athletica release[4] Niki Cross was picked up by FC Gold Pride at the end of October, as were Christie Welsh and Sarah Walsh by the Washington Freedom and Boston Breakers, respectively, in mid-February.
On November 23, Athletica put on their website that they had successfully signed Swedish forward Madelaine Edlund and Brazilian midfielder Elaine,[5] both from Umeå IK, two bring Athletica's confirmed international count for 2010 up to three. They also later re-signed Daniela, for a total of four internationals.
The morning day of the 2010 WPS Draft, Athletica traded young goalkeeper Jillian Loyden to the Chicago Red Stars in exchange for Lindsay Tarpley. Later that day, they drafted UCLA Bruin Kristina Larsen, (second round, 17th overall,) UNC and Pali Blue goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris, (second round, 19th overall,) Santa Clara midfielder Amanda Poach, (third round, 28th overall,) and four other players.
In preparation for the dispersal of the Los Angeles Sol players, Athletica traded Angie Woznuk, Kia McNeill, and rights to Amanda Poach to the Atlanta Beat. In the dispersal draft, Athletica acquired Shannon Boxx, Aya Miyama, Tina DiMartino, and rights to Cathrine Paaske-Sørensen.
Personnel edit
Players edit
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Transfers edit
- In
- Madelaine Edlund
From Umeå IK (11/23/09) International Signing - Elaine
From Umeå IK (11/23/09) International Signing - Lindsay Tarpley
From Chicago Red Stars (1/15/10) Trade - Shannon Boxx From Los Angeles Sol (2/4/10) Dispersal Draft
- Aya Miyama
From Los Angeles Sol (2/4/10) Dispersal Draft - Tina DiMartino From Los Angeles Sol (2/4/10) Dispersal Draft
- Niki Cross From FC Gold Pride (4/1/10) Free Agent
- Out
- Amanda Cinalli To Atlanta Beat (9/15/09) Expansion Draft
- Sara Larsson To Atlanta Beat (9/15/09) Expansion Draft
- Niki Cross To FC Gold Pride (10/26/09) Free Agent
- Jillian Loyden To Chicago Red Stars (1/15/10) Trade
- Angie Woznuk To Atlanta Beat (2/2/10) Trade
- Kia McNeill To Atlanta Beat (2/2/10) Trade
- Christie Welsh To Washington Freedom (2/15/10) Free Agent
- Sarah Walsh
To Boston Breakers (2/22/10) Free Agent
- Released
Club edit
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Summary edit
Preseason edit
Athletica played four games in the 2010 preseason, double that from 2009. Wins against the University of Illinois (4-0) and University of Missouri (3-0) were followed by a 2–1 loss against WPS expansion side Atlanta Beat.[6] Former Athletica player Kia McNeill opened the scoring for the Beat, with Ramona Bachmann (Atlanta) and Shannon Boxx (St. Louis) each adding one later. Athletica finished the preseason with a 3–0 win against a local boys' academy team.[7]
Trade: May 5 w/ New Jersey edit
After losing to the Washington Freedom, Athletica made a defensive-minded trade with Sky Blue FC, sending India Trotter and their first-round pick in the 2011 WPS Draft to the New Jersey team in exchange for English international Anita Asante, rights to former Los Angeles Sol player Nikki Washington, and a second-round pick in the 2011 draft.[citation needed]
The trade was announced on May 4, but controversy and a league review followed. In the 2009 season, Athletica had traded their 2011 first-round draft pick to the Los Angeles Sol, which subsequently had dissolved. Unlike the Sol's players, the Sol's draft picks had not been dispersed to the other teams, so the draft pick's ownership was unknown. The league approved the trade the following day.[citation needed]
Trotter appeared for Sky Blue that weekend, though Asante and Washington were not ready to play for Athletica. To make room for the English international, Athletica waived Brazilian player Daniela.[citation needed]
Regular season edit
Matches edit
| April 11, 2010 1 | Saint Louis Athletica | 2–0 | FC Gold Pride | Fenton, Missouri |
| Report Box |
|
Stadium: Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park Attendance: 3,356 Referee: Jennifer Bennett |
| April 17, 2010 2 | Chicago Red Stars | 1–1 | Saint Louis Athletica | Bridgeview, Illinois |
| Report Box |
Stadium: Toyota Park Attendance: 5,134 Referee: Kari Seitz |
| April 25, 2010 3 | Saint Louis Athletica | 1–1 | Boston Breakers | Fenton, Missouri |
| Report Box |
Stadium: Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park Attendance: 3,300 Referee: Felisha Mariscal |
| May 1, 2010 4 | Washington Freedom | 3–1 | Saint Louis Athletica | Washington, D.C. |
| Box | Stadium: RFK Memorial Stadium Attendance: 8,261 Referee: Kari Seitz |
| May 8, 2010 5 | Saint Louis Athletica | 2–1 | Philadelphia Independence | Fenton, Missouri |
| Box | Stadium: Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park Attendance: 3,107 Referee: Jose Carlos Rivero |
| May 16, 2010 6 | Saint Louis Athletica | 2–2 | Sky Blue FC | Fenton, Missouri |
| 4:00 p.m. CDT |
|
Box score | Stadium: Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park Attendance: 2,346 Referee: Margaret Domka |
| May 29, 2010 7 | Atlanta Beat | v | Saint Louis Athletica | Kennesaw, Georgia |
| 7:00 p.m. EDT | Stadium: KSU Soccer Stadium |
| June 5, 2010 8 | Boston Breakers | v | Saint Louis Athletica | Cambridge, Massachusetts |
| 6:00 p.m. EDT | Stadium: Harvard Stadium |
| June 9, 2010 9 | Saint Louis Athletica | v | FC Gold Pride | Fenton, Missouri |
| 7:10 p.m. CDT | Stadium: Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park |
| June 12, 2010 10 | Saint Louis Athletica | v | Atlanta Beat | Fenton, Missouri |
| 4:45 p.m. CDT | Stadium: Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park |
| June 20, 2010 11 | Saint Louis Athletica | v | Washington Freedom | Fenton, Missouri |
| 5:00 p.m. CDT | Stadium: Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park |
| June 27, 2010 12 | FC Gold Pride | v | Saint Louis Athletica | Hayward, California |
| 3:00 p.m. PDT | Stadium: Pioneer Stadium |
| July 7, 2010 13 | Sky Blue FC | v | Saint Louis Athletica | Piscataway, New Jersey |
| 7:00 p.m. EDT | Stadium: Yurcak Field |
| July 10, 2010 14 | Washington Freedom | v | Saint Louis Athletica | Boyds, Maryland |
| 7:00 p.m. EDT | Stadium: Maryland SoccerPlex |
| July 18, 2010 15 | Saint Louis Athletica | v | Chicago Red Stars | Fenton, Missouri |
| 7:10 p.m. CDT | Stadium: Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park |
| July 24, 2010 16 | Saint Louis Athletica | v | Atlanta Beat | Fenton, Missouri |
| 7:10 p.m. CDT | Stadium: Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park |
| July 28, 2010 17 | Sky Blue FC | v | Saint Louis Athletica | Piscataway, New Jersey |
| 7:00 p.m. EDT | Stadium: Yurcak Field |
| August 8, 2010 18 | Philadelphia Independence | v | Saint Louis Athletica | West Chester, Pennsylvania |
| 7:30 p.m. EDT | Stadium: John A. Farrell Stadium |
| August 11, 2010 19 | Saint Louis Athletica | v | Boston Breakers | Fenton, Missouri |
| 7:10 p.m. CDT | Stadium: Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park |
| August 14, 2010 20 | Atlanta Beat | v | Saint Louis Athletica | Kennesaw, Georgia |
| 7:00 p.m. EDT | Stadium: KSU Soccer Stadium |
| August 22, 2010 21 | Saint Louis Athletica | v | Washington Freedom | Fenton, Missouri |
| 3:00 p.m. CDT | Stadium: Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park |
| August 28, 2010 22 | Saint Louis Athletica | v | Chicago Red Stars | Fenton, Missouri |
| 7:10 p.m. CDT | Stadium: Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park |
| September 5, 2010 23 | Philadelphia Independence | v | Saint Louis Athletica | West Chester, Pennsylvania |
| 6:00 p.m. EDT | Stadium: John A. Farrell Stadium |
| September 11, 2010 24 | Chicago Red Stars | v | Saint Louis Athletica | Bridgeview, Illinois |
| 6:00 p.m. CDT | Stadium: Toyota Park |
Standings edit
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FC Gold Pride | 24 | 16 | 5 | 3 | 46 | 19 | +27 | 53 | Advance to Championship |
| 2 | Boston Breakers | 24 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 36 | 28 | +8 | 36 | Advance to Super Semifinal |
| 3 | Philadelphia Independence | 24 | 10 | 4 | 10 | 37 | 36 | +1 | 34 | Advance to First Round |
| 4 | Washington Freedom | 24 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 33 | 33 | 0 | 31 | |
| 5 | Sky Blue FC | 24 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 20 | 31 | −11 | 28 | |
| 6 | Chicago Red Stars | 24 | 7 | 6 | 11 | 21 | 27 | −6 | 27 | |
| 7 | Atlanta Beat | 24 | 5 | 6 | 13 | 20 | 40 | −20 | 21 | |
| 8 | Saint Louis Athletica | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 8 | +1 | 9 | Team withdrawn |
Rules for classification: 1) points, 2) goal difference, 3) head-to-head result.
Results by match edit
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss; V = Void due to dissolution
Dissolution and dispersal edit
Saint Louis Athletica folded on May 27, 2010,[8] and its sibling men's club A.C. St. Louis folded in January 2011.[9] Spokesman Jeff Cooper announced the closure, precipitated when investors Sanjeev and Heemal Vaid defaulted on a funding contract.[10][11] Its players were made free agents effective June 1.[12]
| Date | Pos. | Nat. | Player | Destination team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 3, 2010 | FW |
 ENG |
Eniola Aluko | Atlanta Beat |
MF |
 USA |
Carolyn Blank | Atlanta Beat[a][b] | |
FW |
USA |
Lori Chalupny | Atlanta Beat | |
DF |
USA |
Tina Ellertson | Atlanta Beat | |
GK |
USA |
Hope Solo | Atlanta Beat | |
MF |
USA |
Shannon Boxx | FC Gold Pride | |
| June 4, 2010 | MF |
USA |
Nikki Washington | Chicago Red Stars |
DF |
USA |
Elise Weber | Chicago Red Stars[a] | |
| June 7, 2010 | FW |
USA |
Lindsay Tarpley | Boston Breakers |
MF |
USA |
Tina DiMartino | Philadelphia Independence | |
| June 9, 2010 | DF |
ENG |
Anita Asante | Chicago Red Stars |
GK |
USA |
Ashlyn Harris | Washington Freedom | |
| June 10, 2010 | MF |
 JPN |
Aya Miyama | Atlanta Beat |
DF |
USA |
Kendall Fletcher | Sky Blue FC[a][c] | |
| June 11, 2010 | MF |
USA |
Niki Cross | Boston Breakers[a] |
| June 21, 2010 | MF |
 BRA |
Elaine | Tyresö FF[14] |
References edit
- ^ "Athletica announces shock shutdown mid-season". Potomac Soccer Wire. May 27, 2010. Archived from the original on May 31, 2010. Retrieved June 28, 2023.
- ^ "Atlanta, Philadelphia begin stocking rosters through Expansion Draft". WPS. September 15, 2009. Archived from the original on October 29, 2009. Retrieved September 16, 2009.
- ^ "WPS Free Agency Opens: Off-season Player Transactions Underway". WPS. September 30, 2009. Archived from the original on October 3, 2009. Retrieved September 30, 2009.
- ^ "Saint Louis Athletica Announce Offseason Transactions". Saint Louis Athletica. September 30, 2009. Archived from the original on October 3, 2009. Retrieved September 30, 2009.
- ^ "Athletica Make Two International Signings". Saint Louis Athletica. November 23, 2009. Archived from the original on November 27, 2009. Retrieved November 24, 2009.
- ^ "Athletica Drop 2-1 Decision To Atlanta". Saint Louis Athletica. April 3, 2010. Retrieved April 25, 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Tom Timmermann (April 7, 2010). "Athletica do better in scrimmage". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved April 25, 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Saint Louis Athletica folding, AC St. Louis safe for now". Soccer By Ives. May 27, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
- ^ "AC St. Louis Closes its Doors for Good". Archived from the original on September 29, 2018. Retrieved January 18, 2011.
- ^ Salazar, Jo-Ryan (May 27, 2010). "Missouri Loves Company: WPS' St. Louis Athletica Follows LA Sol, Shuts Down". Bleacher Report. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
- ^ Tritto, Christopher (May 27, 2010). "St. Louis Athletica soccer team shutting down". St. Louis Business Journal. Archived from the original on November 13, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
- ^ a b Green, Lauren (June 4, 2010). "Former St. Louis Athletica Players Signed By Remaining Teams". Bleacher Report. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
- ^ "Transactions: 2010". Women's Professional Soccer. Archived from the original on July 14, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
- ^ Lindbäck, Anna (June 21, 2010). "Tyresös bomb: Värvar två landslagsspelare" [Tyresö's bomb: Recruits two national team players]. Aftonbladet (in Swedish). Retrieved June 30, 2023.